“Chanukah Under the Stars is an opportunity for our congregation to share our love and passion for Jewish life, and the celebration of Chanukah, with the broader community of Boca Raton,” Levin said. “The celebration of Chanukah highlights so many wonderful values and ideals: the notion of having faith in difficult times, the notion of perseverance to achieve your goals, the idea that you should never surrender what you believe in even when it’s dark and difficult and dangerous. The theme of bringing life into dark places, especially at the darkest time of the year, is something that I think speaks to not just Jews, but everyone across the spectrum, which is why Chanukah is such a popular celebration for our people.”

Levin explained that this special event is used to invite the broader Jewish community of Boca Raton to celebrate the season.

“There is a long standing tradition of giving what in Hebrew is called ‘Tzedakah’ in the celebration of the sabbath,” Levin said. “There is a custom that during each Shabbat one should think about those who are less fortunate, and these two wonderful organizations do so much to make a difference in the lives of the needy in our community. A big part of the celebration of Chanuakah is bringing light into the dark times and places.”

Bring your family and friends to this holiday celebration. There will be bounce houses, a delicious casual Shabbat meal, face painting, crafts and more. There will also be a childrens' sing-a-long cocnert before the Shabbat service at 7:30 p.m.

“Temple Beth El prides itself on not simply being the oldest Jewish congregation in Boca Raton, but the most dynamic, the most warm and welcoming,” Levin said. “This is one example of how we try to share our spirit with the larger community.”

Attendees do not need to be affiliated with Temple Beth El to attend this free event. For more information, visit http://www.tbeboca.org.